Today is the eighth day of the Christmas Octave, which means that today is the last day of the Christmas Octave.
And today is also the first day of the New Year, and so today is the day that we turn to God and ask for His blessings.
Of course, we ask for God's blessings on the first day of the new year and we pray that all will start well and will also end well.
As for the Church, the eighth day after a great feast has a particular meaning.
In the gospel, Jesus and John were circumcised on the eighth day after their birth and were given their respective names.
On the eighth day after Easter Sunday, the Risen Lord Jesus appeared to His disciples in that locked upper room.
And the eighth day after Christmas Day, the Church honours Mary with the title “Mother of God”.
That title reiterates the teaching that Jesus is both human and divine, and so Mary is not just the mother of Jesus but also the Mother of God.
It was on the Cross that Jesus gave Mary to be our mother, and in honouring her as the Mother of God, we are also acknowledging that we are children of God.
And as we begin the new year, we hold on to our Mother's hand as we look ahead.
We look ahead with faith and hope that Jesus will be with us every day of the new year.
The name Jesus means “God Saves” or “God is salvation”.
So, in each day of the year ahead, we will also walk with Jesus and with Him we will see the wonderful and marvellous saving works that He will show us.
And in each day of the year ahead, we hold on to Mother Mary's hand to pray with her and to ponder upon the saving love of God for us.
Yes, we look ahead with hope in God's promises of His blessings, the blessings that we heard in the 1st reading:
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.
May the Lord and uncover His face to you and bring you peace.